The National tribune., 1887-01-06

know Seth was not born till after the murder.
Seth was born when his parents, Adam and
I've. were 10 years OF age (5:3) We read
a.: 25) that Eve gave birth to a son, Seth, and
that he was born to take the place Of the de-
ceased Abel. We have reason from the account
to believe this was soon after the murder, say
one year after. But at that time Eve was 40
years old. (5:3) We could then put the muir
der in the year 129 A. NJ. It is believed Cain
was born one year after the expulsion, and
Abel two years after that event. Hence, Cain
was 12S years old and Abel Ia. This was
youthful when people lived to be nearly 1000
years old. (See Chap. 81
What occaSioned the murder3 When Adam
and Eve fell God promised them q Savior.
g: 15.) We cannot tell how clear views our
first parents received from Gods statement.
But he probably gave more minute information
than 3: 10. People before Christ's death were
to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary
as future fact, just as people since must be-
heve 1t as fact accomplished. There is
relation between the promise of Genesis and
the event at Golgotha. There is a relation, too,
between the death of Christ and our restoration
to holiness and Gods favor. 1t would be nat
ural that God should institute some expression
or ordinance which would enable men both to
remember the promise and to connect it with
the fulfillment; which would join the Fall
with its Remedy; which would connect the
first Adam and the second Adam Christi, and
which by its recurrence would be a medium OF
spiritual refreshment. Nothing could accom-
plish all this more effectively than the Staying
from time to time of innocent animals as q re-
ligiOus ordinance. Such act would express the
sinlessness of Christ, point to the shedding Of
his blood on Calvary. and by its performances
indicate faith in the worshipers that Jesus was
really thus to die.
Now observe the difficulty in the cases of the
offerings of Cain and Abel The Offering of
Cain was :" of the fruit of the ground" (V. 81
NJ, Is: IL may throw some light on the na-
ture of the Offering. specifying oil, wine. wheat
Now this was a defective Offering. 1t was ex-
pressive of gratitude. 1t could have been e.
sented to God by beings sinless. 1t is not
expressive of confession of guilt and wish Of
forgiveness There WAS no victim. No blood
was shed. Lev., II IL; Heb, 9:22.) 1t was
probably more esthetie than the offering of
Abel. But it was not according to the Offering
prescribed of God for worship. Cain praeti-
cally said: THE handling of various fruits
about the altar is q more tasty, convenient,
easy method of worship than the manipulating
of bloody victim" His act was q criticism
on Gods wisdom. His was form of willy
ship. Then it is not said that he was particu-
lar to present first fruits 1t is not even de-
clared he was careful to select the best of his
fruits st. Cyril states that he, instead of CIV
ing to God the choicest apples and plumpest
and worm-eaten apples. Gains conduct formed
in early days the foundation of many a sermon
on the sin of persons giving for religious pur-
poses only the remnants left after selecting all
the best for themselves.
Notice in special the offering of Abel "Also"
in V. 4 seems to imply he brought of the first
fruits OF the harvest, as did Cain, but that he
also brought to the altar some prescribed ami
NAL for sacrifice, expressing both gratitude and
guilt. 1t was not only the fact that Cain did
not have such religious fitness for worship as
did Abel IL John, 3 (: II, but also the fact that
Abel's sacrifice was in strict conformity with
that prescribed Of God; that the offering of
Abel was more acceptable than that of Cain
Heb, IL: ~ st. Paul Heb, IL AZ shows the
offering of Cain was acceptable as far as il went.
Said verse seems to teach that Abel brought
more OF an Offering than Cain did-viz., the
same that Cain did and more too. We notice
Heb, ii ~ gifts" to wit, vegetable and ami
NAL. Cain thanked God for physical blessings
while Abel was grateful both for temporal and
spiritual (atoning) fsvors. A being without
| sin could bring Gains Offering. but Abel went
to the altar as a sinner to shed blood typical Of
that to be shed by Christ. Cain in n sense ig-
nored, denied. Christ. Cain simply expressed
| gratitude, while Abel besought forgiveness.
Gains was a sacrifice of grain, Abeps of grain
! and blood. BreSd represents Gains offering;
bread and blood. AbePs. Abers was more ac-
ceptahle to God because 10 recognized the Savior.
Here was the whole difficulty. Ii was not after
all so much difference as to the kinds of offer
| ings, but OF hearts and minds. One was stub
born, independents; the other Obedient. Il
| John. 3: l2-l
We learn God showed approval Of Abel's
| offering This implies the unacceptableness Of
Gains How was this preference shown? v.
3 shows there was somc evident visible ex-
preston on the part of God 1. Some think
God appeared in person. $50 Knobel and Schu-
| mann.) V. 9 lead one to think God might
have appeared. 2. Others hold God sent down
| fire from Heaven. burning up the sacrifice of
Abel aud withheld fire from that of Cain. $50
| TheOdOtion, Delitzsch, heterogeneous. Gen.,
15:7; Lev, 9:24; Jud., 6:2l; Is: 20; XII,
Is: 3S.) B. LANCE. with some others, simply
says in 3 general way that God showed his
| preference in some physical or visible indica-
| ton of acceptance. 1t Is clear there was some
distinction apparent to Cain and Abel
Asa result Cain became very angry at Abel.
| V. D. Why not at God instead? Why irri-
| tated at Abel ON account of what God did
! Cain was wroth, infiamed with anger. His
eountenance fell (V.6) Scholars give differ
emit views. /. He began evil plOttings. The
attitude indicates this. Job, %: "a; Jer, 3:
| l2.) Burkhardt says: This is the posture OF
one darkly brooding, and prevails to this day in
the East as a sign of evil plOttings" G.ange
takes this view.) 2. Archbishop TiIlotson takes
| the meaning To be he showed guilt. 3. kitto
thinks intense hatred was manifested in his
| face.
How kindly God dealt with CAIN Though
he chided and punished him, he did both in a
/ fatherly way. He reasoned with him. Said
/ God: III thou doest not we'll, sin lieth at the
door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and
| thou shalt rule over him." (Y. ~ If one
| have done a wrong, We sometimes say the evil
| lies at his door, meaning he is the guilty one
| Sin is spoken of as a ravenous beast lying down
ready to pounce on his victim. There are nc
neuter pronOuns in Hebrew, and so we have in
V. his" for its and him for it, If Cain
did evil, the guilt and responsibility lay at his
door; that is TO say, he would be- held ac
countable for his wrong doing. He would be-
| como a kind of ringleader in wiekedneSs. Evil
would see in him such an ally as to fix desire
| on him as its manipulation. Cain would b.
master of sn-sueh q sinner as seemingly Il
have control of sin and To lead it. Sin would
look up to Cain aud acknowledge him as it
manager. (3:l6)
Notwithstanding Gods leniency of manner
and urgency of caution, Cain let his angry
passions rage. He talked with Abel having by
some pretext gotten him alone out in a field
| The subject OF conversation is not stated A
certain Jewish book, known as the Masora
claims % verses are omitted here. Evidently
Cain began the talk. LANCE thinks he mock.
iDgly, provOkingly repeated over 10 Abel the
| words of God in verses q, 2, making fun of God
| and Abel ut one stroke. Then Cain struck q
fatal blow, committing the first murder eaus
| ing the first death of earth, becoming guilty o.
fratricide the first in history, making the frs
martyr to religion, breaking the Sixth Com
mandment, giving rise to religious persecution